printStock Journal Feature article: May 2026
Author: Nathan Scott, Achieve Ag Solutions
Every lambing paddock holds its own mysteries. Why did one paddock perform better than another? What is causing lamb losses? And how can we learn from this season to improve the next?
The answers are often less mysterious than they seem. With a few simple observations, we can better understand what’s happening in the lambing paddock. It is our job as farm owners, managers, vets, and consultants to learn from every lambing, to ensure that the next one is even better.
The first and most obvious question is: why are lambs being lost? Even with pregnancy scanning, separating twin- and single-bearing ewes, and meeting nutritional requirements, losses can still occur. While a full veterinary autopsy is the ideal way to determine cause of death, a quick inspection and weighing of the lamb can reveal a great deal.
Start by examining the lamb for swelling around the head, which may indicate a traumatic birth. Then check the soles of the feet. Lambs are born with a jelly-like coating—often called “jelly slippers”—which wears off as soon as they walk. If this coating is still present, the lamb likely never stood, suggesting it was either stillborn or too compromised to survive.
What colour is the fluid on the lamb? If the lamb is covered in a golden coloured fluid, then this is a sign that the lamb has passed the meconium (first poo of the lamb) during the birth process. This will only occur during a traumatic birth as the lamb goes into foetal stress. Golden lambs in your paddock suggest that something is causing traumatic births.
Weighing lambs can also provide valuable insight. Lambs under 4.5 kg often struggle to maintain body temperature and cope with early-life challenges. Birthweight is strongly influenced by ewe condition score at lambing, genetics, and late-pregnancy nutrition. Low birthweights are common in twins, lambs with low-birthweight genetics, or where ewes have had poor nutrition or low condition score at the point of lambing.
At the other end of the scale, lambs over 5.5 kg are at greater risk of dystocia (difficult or traumatic birth), even if assistance wasn’t required. Dystocia is a major contributor to lamb mortality and can result from high birthweight genetics, high ewe condition score, or excessive nutrition in late pregnancy.
If lamb losses are occurring within the optimal birthweight range of 4.5–5.5 kg, mismothering becomes the likely cause. This is particularly common in twin-bearing ewes. Reducing mob size in our twin bearing ewes is critical in limiting confusion in the paddock. Smaller mobs mean fewer simultaneous births, which reduces confusion—especially at the peak of lambing.
Finally, it is important to consider the disruption that we can cause ourselves. Daily checks of lambing paddocks allow timely intervention, but they can also interfere with the ewe–lamb bond. It takes around six hours for a strong maternal bond to form. Each time we enter the paddock, we risk interrupting this process. Binoculars are invaluable at lambing time. Observe from a distance and only enter the paddock if necessary. If no issues are visible, move on quietly.
Lastly, leave the dogs at home. Sheep are prey animals, and our otherwise helpful sheepdogs happen to be predators. We use them for 11 months of the year to move stock, then bring them into the lambing paddock at the very time we want ewes to stay exactly where they are, on their birth sites.
Every lambing is a learning opportunity. Weigh the lambs you encounter, investigate the causes of losses, and take the time to park the ute, switch off the engine, and watch and listen. The more we learn, the better we get.